


I'll fight with you

by b_j_hx



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian AU, tw bullying, tw homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24232570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_j_hx/pseuds/b_j_hx
Summary: Gigi Goode has fallen hard from the top of the high school food chain. Crystal has always seen past the bitchy, popular girl exterior. In Gigi's darkest moment, she's there.
Relationships: Gigi Goode/Crystal Methyd
Comments: 5
Kudos: 133





	I'll fight with you

Gigi hugged her knees closer to her chest, her back aching from being hunched against the wall for so long. Long, drawn out ragged breaths from the aftermath of her breakdown that she had tried and failed to keep quiet kept on coming, as she attempted to get her breathing under control. In one hand, she had her phone, the screen now badly cracked. Through her tears, she was trying to type a message to her mom, to come and get her the hell out of here. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and the phone clattered to the bathroom floor. She wrapped her other arm around her knees, hoping the tight little ball she’d curled herself in would be enough to keep the world at bay, the bitchy, horrible, catty girls on the other side of the school that were on the prowl for her, no doubt. It had been four days now. Four days of retching into the toilet every morning before school, sick with nerves. Four days of not knowing what she’d walk into, if any new revelations about her had made it into light on social media. Gigi hadn’t checked her feeds in four days.

Today was the final straw. It had really seemed like they were trying to apologise to her this morning, when she'd walked into school, her head held high and her gut churning. They'd asked her to walk to class with them. Her old friends, the crowd she used to rule over as Queen Bee. Then, Nicky pushed her in the hallway, the contents of her bag spilling all over the floor, and another girl, she honestly didn't know who, probably some cheerleader she barely knew who wanted to oust her from the top spot anyway, had kicked her while she was down. She’d run away without picking up any of her stuff except for her phone.

The demise of Gigi Goode was a goode one.

Now she was here, with no idea what happened next. She’d bet that the other girls had robbed the contents of her bag blind after she’d bolted, that Nicky would be reeking of her perfume she always used to compliment her on tomorrow, Jaida would be wearing her cute cardigan. Her notebooks for class had probably been thrown in a bin somewhere, Diet Coke poured all over them.

Fresh tears sprung to her eyes. She honestly didn't know how to even get from the bathroom to her mom’s car without being spotted by someone who wanted to laugh at her. Her hands were still shaking too much to compose a text, though. She’d run all the way across school to the art block, somewhere she knew none of her old posse would ever frequent, because they possessed less talent than a slug when it came to being creative. Even when they were friends, they questioned why Gigi came here to sew so much, why she enjoyed _like, manual labour_ , when she could just be sitting out in the sun in her cheerleading skirt staring at the boys on the field.

 _Because I'm going to college to study fashion, unlike you hopeless cases._ She always used to say that.

Now, she was crouched in the toilets, utterly friendless and alone. All because her old friends had found out she was gay.

Really, logically, she should've known it was only a matter of time before someone needed to use this bathroom. So why was she so shocked when the door opened, and why did it trigger a fresh wave of panic inside her chest?

She braced herself, waiting for someone to call her name, or start a fresh taunt, or just kick the door down and finish what Nicky started earlier. She screwed her eyes shut. The panic came back in waves, making her feel breathless, and her breathing was too loud, she knew it. _Calm down, Geege. Look under the door. See who it is. Be aware of your surroundings._ One, two, seconds. She opened her eyes.

A pair of black Dr Marten boots. Rainbow socks.

A tap on the door to her stall.

‘Hey, are you ok in there?’ A very sweet, nervous voice. The nicest she’d been spoken to all week. She smiled at the rainbow socks.

‘Yeah, I'm fine.’ She squeaked out, trying to make it sound like she hadn’t just been crying hysterically, even though Rainbow Socks had obviously heard.

‘You don’t sound fine, are you crying?’ The girl asked, and it was enough to set Gigi off again. This in itself was painful for Gigi. She never cried. She wasn’t the type of girl to wear her heart on her sleeve, didn't like the world to see her down, despite everything that was happening right now. She let out a great, gasping sob, and felt the physical pain in her chest. Nothing would ever be okay again.

A hand snaked under the door of her stall. Tanned, with pretty rings on most of her fingers. Blue painted short nails, and bracelets on her wrist. Gigi grabbed the only comfort she’d been offered in school for four days, and clung to it.

The girl outside shifted into a more comfortable position on the floor, leaning against the wall parallel to the door of Gigi’s stall. ‘Do you wanna talk?’

Gigi didn't know what to say. She didn’t want this girl to find out it was _her,_ Gigi Goode, on the floor of the art block bathroom, completely defeated. She still had some pride. However, it was obvious this girl knew none of her old friends. Even if she had heard all the stuff about Gigi that had been spread round the school, she didn't seem the type to judge, or care, particularly.

‘Do you want me to just sit with you?’ The girl asked kindly, idly stroking Gigi’s hand with her thumb. It felt nice.

‘Who are you?’ Gigi asked, deciding that based on the girl’s response she would either let her in or close up completely.

‘You don’t remember me?’ The girl questioned, and her hand hesitated in Gigi’s.

Gigi felt her heart sink. This is where being a horrible, popular _bitch_ comes back to bite her in the ass. Her and her old friends had probably said some shit about this girl. Now she’s going to want nothing to do with her.

‘You know who I am?’ Gigi asked, her mouth dry.

‘You’re Gigi Goode, I recognise your voice, even when you’ve been crying, apparently.’

Gigi’s voice was thick with emotion when she spoke her next words.

‘Was I a bitch to you.’

The girl giggled. ‘No, not really _to me._ Your friends seem to hate my friends, though.’

‘I’m so sorry.’ Gigi whispered. She hated that it had taken her until now to realise the extent of her bitchiness, her horrible attitude to the other girls in the school. It was only now, that the shoe was on the other foot, she realised how much her and her friends mean words may have affected them.

‘I never thought I'd hear Gigi Goode apologise to _me_.’

‘Well, I am. Do you wanna come in?’ Gigi asked hesitantly, scared the girl would still walk away from her, leave her to suffer on her own after all this. She wanted the comfort, the protection the girl in the rainbow socks was bringing her. She couldn’t explain it, but the girl made her feel calm. Gigi half expected her to say no, but the girl just said 'sure.'

Gigi reached up, letting go of the girls hand. She unbolted the door, and pushed it open slowly, still slightly scared at who could be on the other side. Really, she should’ve known, should’ve paid more attention to her peers the last few years instead of tearing them down.

The door swung open to reveal the girl, but just as quickly, she folded herself into the stall, next to Gigi, their knees touching, and locked the door again. Gigi caught a flash of layered necklaces, a blue jumper, glittery eyeshadow, dark blonde curls.

‘Crystal.’ Gigi said, suddenly realising who it was.

‘Wow, you _do_ know my name!’ Crystal smiled, and that in turn made Gigi feel like maybe her troubles weren’t so bad. For the split second that Crystal smiled at her, two rows of perfect teeth, everything seemed fine.

‘We took art together like, two years ago. I remember because it’s such a pretty name, I was jealous.’ _And you are such a pretty girl,_ Gigi thought.

‘Are you joking? My mom is just massively spiritual. Honestly, it’s funny.’

‘It suits you, though.’ Gigi said, wishing that Crystal would take her hand again. Suddenly, she realised how Crystal must be seeing her right now. Makeup cried off, her lime green headband askew from where she’d been pushed over, hair a mess. She looked over at Crystal, and Gigi felt such a gut-wrenching stab of jealousy it took her breath away. Crystal had friends that loved her for her, and she was beautiful, like, seriously pretty. She got to do what she loved without being judged for it and she was probably one of the kindest girls in school. She had the courage to wear her heart on her sleeve and she was everything Gigi wasn’t. Yet she used to think _she_ was superior? Enough to bully girls like Crystal, who were everything she wanted to be?

‘You must love this, seeing me like this. Retribution for all the things I ever said.’ Gigi looked down at her feet. Her strappy heel was pressed against the edge of Crystal’s boot.

‘How could they do that to you?’ Crystal just whispered, taking in everything.

‘Do you know why?’ Gigi asked, afraid she did and afraid she might have to explain.

‘Yeah. My friend Daegen overheard one of the football guys.’

‘This school is just, it’s not the one.’ Gigi couldn't find the words.

‘So, are you, then?’ Crystal asked, tentatively.

Gigi didn't know what to say. She hadn’t actually had to _admit_ it, that part taken care of by Nicky, who had broadcast it round the school. Gigi’s private texts, her diary, and the photo. All to do with a girl she’d been seeing in secret who now wanted nothing to do with Gigi. It was all for nothing.

‘Yeah. It was all for nothing, though. She wasn’t ready to come out, either. Now she hates me too.’

‘The thing with your locker, you know, it was me who cleaned it up.’Crystal admitted.

Gigi winced. The day after the bullying began, someone spray painted the word DYKE across her locker. The next day, it had been scrubbed clean.

‘Why did you do that? Why are you being so kind to me, I was a bitch.’ Gigi sobbed again at the memory, of how she’d known life would never be the same from that moment. If she’d thought her friends would accept her, she was wrong.

‘I was a horrible person, Crystal, I deserve all this.’

Crystal held her as she cried, and Gigi registered through her sobs that she never wanted to let go. Crystal smelt so good, and she was so warm and kind. The regret of wasting years being friends with girls who only liked her because she was pretty and for her money and her parties washed over her.

When the girls pulled apart, Crystal began rifling though her bag. Gigi couldn't help smiling when she pulled out a colourful pen with a plume of feathers and a glittery, plastic, wobbly heart on top. Crystal pressed the pen into her hand.

‘This is so you can actually make notes in your next class, and maybe pass this year.’ She grinned, dipping back into the bag again, before tearing half the pages out of her notebook and then handing the notebook to Gigi. ‘New notebook? No problem.’

Gigi giggled. ‘Now you don’t have one.’

‘I'll borrow someones, when you’re _nice_ to people they tend to like doing you favours, Gigi Goode.’

‘Why are you doing this for me, then?’

‘Because I am. Now, we’ve both missed lunch so, I present, the Crystal Elizabeth special.’

Gigi laughed as Crystal pulled out a massive chocolate bar, before breaking it in two and handing Gigi the bigger half.

‘Feels a bit weird eating in the toilets.’Gigi grimaced, and then realised this was probably her life from here on out. No friends to eat lunch with. There’s no way she was sitting in that cafeteria on her own. Her thoughts turned to Crystal's friends, the group she always saw her with. All art girls, and Gigi was pretty sure they'd entered some sort of movie into the school's film festival last year.

'Don't your friends wonder where you are?' Gigi asked.

'I told them I was going on a rescue mission.'

When they had munched through the chocolate, all the while talking about Gigi’s predicament and finding it was nice to open up to someone about your sexuality who not only got it, but was supportive and as kind as can be, with no judgement, Gigi realised that soon enough she’d have to leave the stall where she’d found so much peace with Crystal and face the real world again.

‘What do I do, Crys?’ She asked, feeling the panic creep into her chest again.

‘Start over. It can be done.’ Crystal said, taking Gigi’s hand again.

‘I'm scared, though.’ Gigi admitted. ‘I wanted to text my mom to get me out of here, and I was never gonna come back.’

‘Stay and fight.’ Crystal squeezed her hand. ‘I'll fight with you.’

‘Your friends will never wanna eat lunch with me.’ Gigi said jokingly, but she was sad, because it was true.

‘Well, it will just have to be us two until they do.’ Crystal said, like it was the most simple thing in the world.

‘Why would you do all that for me?’ Gigi asked, curiously.

‘Because I saw the girl who came here to sew dresses while her so-called friends were outside watching the boys. I've seen the girl who’s walked into school for the last four days with her head up even though everyone’s been trying to kick her down, for something she never should’ve been ashamed of.’

Gigi was silent. A single tear made its way down her cheek.

‘I’ve always seen more of you than you think, Geege.’

Gigi looked up. The pure adoration in Crystal’s dark eyes took her breath away. This girl, despite everything, saw Gigi the way she’d always wanted to be seen.

'Why have you been paying so much attention?' 

'Because you're Gigi Goode, and I couldn't help it, despite myself.'

Gigi let the words sink in.

‘You’re too pretty to cry.’ Crystal murmured, wiping away Gigi’s tear with their joined hands.

‘You think I'm pretty?’

‘I’ve always thought you were way too pretty.’

‘So have I.’ Gigi admitted. She leaned into Crystal’s chest again, still overwhelmed by the comfort the other girl brought her. Crystal buried her face in Gigi’s hair, her free hand playing with the ends of Gigi’s loose curls. ‘Pretty girl.’ She heard Crystal murmur into her hair.

Gigi couldn’t say who made the first move. All she knew was that kissing Crystal was very different to anything she’d ever experienced. It felt like coming home.

It was all so terribly cliche when the bell rang, interrupting the two girls, Crystal looking somewhat startled, like she’d forgotten where they were. Suddenly, it was a rush to get to next class, Gigi clutching the provisions Crystal had given her, her head still swimming with all the events of the day.

‘I'll meet you, outside your classroom.’ Crystal promised, as Gigi straightened up her appearance in the mirror.

‘Please.’ Gigi couldn't express how grateful she was.

‘I'll run like Sonic the Hedgehog, promise.’ Crystal grinned and then she was gone, swept into the wave of students moving between classes.

Gigi couldn't believe everything had gone from being so wrong to so right.

Two months later, Gigi was watching from Crystal’s bed as Crystal applied glittery eyeshadow, her heart bursting with love. Crystal was just so _beautiful._ Her radiant smile, her sunny disposition, her hair and her face and her dorky little personality. Gigi was certain she couldn’t love her more if she tried. She was so grateful for the girl, for picking her up when she was at her lowest, for turning the mess that her life had become into a positive, because now she was out and _proud_ , and Crystal was all hers, and nothing could change that. Her old friends had even _apologised,_ although Gigi didn't make a habit of hanging out with them anymore.

‘You like what you see, Georgina?’ Crystal joked, wiggling her eyebrows in the mirror.

‘Can you come here, please, I wanna touch.’ Gigi made grabby hands, pouting like a five-year-old.

‘Not until I get this makeup _perfect_.’

‘Oh, fuck you, Crystal Elizabeth.’

‘And you do, regularly!’

Gigi fell back onto Crystal’s sheets, feeling like the happiest girl in the world.

‘I love you.’

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry (not sorry) for the shameless amount of Crygi I've been writing in quarantine. Also, I totally lifted a couple lines from Gossip Girl, see if you can spot them


End file.
